The Unhanged Woman
by LizardThumb
Summary: A short story based on Travels through Talnira. This is set about 5-7 years after current events. In this timeline, The Protectorate are still together and business is booming, not quite an elite group of adventurers but certainly on the way. Hamish receives a letter from a member of the legendary mercenary group The Contractors.
1. Chapter 1

Condensation had begun to form on stone walls of the laboratory, it was warm and humid. The two occupants had been in there for the better part of three days.

The first, A half-elf wizard named Hamish L'Asino. He grabbed a rag and wiped the perspiration off his stubbed face, then ran it through his swept back, auburn hair. He tossed it aside and continued examining one of the hundreds of small glass pots on the oak island table, after which he scribbled the observation on the latest of many scrolls on the work bench.

His slender frame stood five foot ten, his robes were regal, but at this moment unkempt and rolled up at the sleeves.

'Hamish, come look at this.' A deep voice said from the table behind him.

Hamish walked next to Vorikin, more commonly known as Penn, a purple skinned Teifling of similar height and build. He too, looked scruffy, his yellow eyes heavy with the weight of three days work in the laboratory on them. Penn's table was also dotted with small glass pots filled with a clear liquid.

'I'm halfway through adding the fourth ingredient to the samples and they're already turning, look.' Penn pointed his gaunt finger at to the pots at the far left of the table. The clear substance had turned various shades of gray and black.

'They're the samples form multiple donors right?' Hamish asked.

'Yes, those are from...' Penn grabbed a scroll from the table and glanced the information. 'Human, Gnome, Dwarf, Orc, Elf, erm...seven different donor groups.'

'Cool, finish them up and we'll observe as planned just in case.' Hamish smiled and patted Penn's shoulder. 'but I think we've finally cracked this. Coffee?'

'Yeah, I'm spitting feathers.' Penn replied passing his long empty mug. 'They're not going to like this are they?'

'Absolutely not.' Hamish left the room, two dirty mugs in hand.

* * *

The next morning, all members of The Protectorate were gathered around the main table in the library within The Protector's Rest. The building was bustling with adventurers and staff but two guards outside the grand doors ensured privacy for the group's secretive morning meeting.

'Alright lads, morning meeting, Gideon present, obviously.' Gideon ticked off his own name on the binder in front of him.

He ticked off as the other members sounded off, Hamish and Penn to his left, a mess of papers book and hand scribbled notes on front of them.

Shakey the Gnome sat on the opposite end of the table with Amaril's Elven figure dwarfing her small size.

Next to him Salazar, his armor polished to an incredible shine.

To Gideon's immediate right sat Ladka, her hair tied up and glasses perched on her nose, the half-orc had a bunch of notes in a packed folder in front of her, the buckle of which looked as though it would break any moment.

Gideon closed his binder, not waiting for the ink to dry, a reflection on how he felt about his basic administrative duties. 'Now main order of business, Penn you have some news?'

'We do, big news.' Penn stood up from his seat. 'We took blood samples from the affected, here in Morgrush as well as Redbridge. We had three hundred and forty four samples from a dozen races. We boiled down the samples to their plasma components and added the isolated ingredients to the samples. The Salt, oil and honey had less than a percent reaction rate, however, the peanuts corrupted every sample.'

'Are you sure?' Shaky asked.

Hamish chimed in. 'We repeated the test three times, there's no doubt it's the peanuts causing the our little problem.'

'Urgh' Shaky slumped down in her chair, uncomfortable with the findings.

Gideon kipped up to his feet standing on his chair, arms resting at the head of the table 'So, what your saying is, we're selling a food product with a main ingredient that is lethally poisonous to an unknown number of random people of all races?'

'Unfortunately, yes.' Pen answered.

'Goddamn it Shakey.' Aramil whispered.

'We need to get every jar of this stuff back immediately' Salazar suggested.

'We also have another problem. We've been getting way more mail in from the customers.' Ladka pointed to the over-loaded folder in front of her. 'People want Shakey's head on a pike. That's only a fraction, the death threats are in the hundreds.'

'Oh Jesus!' Sal thought aloud.

'Why me?!' Shaky asked, head in hands.  
'I think when a food is killing people, they aim their anger at the person who's face is on every jar.' Aramil replied.

'Urgh!' Shakey's head sunk lower into her hands.

Ladka stood. 'The team and I have a plan of action. First, stop production, which we did yesterday.' She counted off with her fingers.

'Cracking start.' Gideon complimented.

Ladka turned to Shakey. 'Secondly, get Shaky to a safe place, somewhere no one will find her.'

'You can stay at my Cottage.' Hamish offered. 'It's out of the way.'

'When did you buy a cottage?' Salazar asked confused.

'Deck of many things.' Hamish replied. Salazar's confusion lingered. 'You remember when you lost your armour?'

'Oh yeah!' Salazar remembered.

'Thirdly.' Ladka continued 'Get every unsold jar back and wait for this to blow over, the public don't have the best memory, they'll move on the the next outrage in a few months.' She looked towards Gideon. 'The team and I can recall the stock here. Can you all take care of Redbridge?'

'Sure thing Ladka.' Gideon replied. 'Looks like we're going to have a little excursion, we can take the Blowfish to Redbridge and drop off the master of poisons on the way.'

Shakey opened her mouth to object, but stopped, quickly realizing the severity of the issue.

'Well then I think we can call this meeting adjourned.' Gideon announced with a slam on the table, the dark wood fading in the spot his hand impacted on. There was a lot of scraping as the group stood.

Penn scooped up the notes, while Ladka, very carefully picked up her binder.

'Hamish, you got a sec?' Gideon collared him on the way out. Hamish sat back down in his seat as the others left, once alone, Gideon took out a small envelope from his pocket.

'Mate, we got this at the front desk last night' He said, tossing the envelope. Hamish recognized the seal. 'You're in The Protectorate last time I checked.' Gideon asked, keeping his outrage in check. 'Can you explain why the fuck you've a letter from The Contractors?'

Hamish chuckled.

'What's funny?' Gideon asked.

'My sister is-' He said opening the envelope and unraveling the letter. 'She's The Tenth Longsword.' He said reading the letter.

'Wait a minute, we've been traveling together for a decade, how do I not know this?' Gideon asked in astonishment.

'You never asked.' Hamish said. 'Also she only got the job a couple of years ago.'

Gideon was dumbfounded, 'She's part of an elite adventurer group, how did this not come up? We had a run in with one of The Daggers for fucks sake.'

'It's not often my family came up, let alone their occupations.'

'What does your mam do?' Gideon asked. 'Assassin?'

'Retired teacher' Hamish skimmed the letter. 'Looks she needs my help with something.' Hamish handed the letter to Gideon.

 _Hello Mish, I hope this letter finds you well. My occupation has lead me to a legend of particular interest to us both. I would not have asked you to tag along but you and your friends have gathered quite the reputation. If you are able to lend assistance and leave me unhanged, be prepared and come to dinner at Mother's, unless you're too chicken. Effie._

'Legend? Is that like a target?' Gideon asked, passing back the letter.

Hamish rattled around his pocket producing his pipe, with a click lit the tobacco. 'There's an old Olorian tale. A Pirate Lord who commanded over a hundred ships. Nothing moved in the waters of Grand Orlai without her permission and she followed a strict code to never steel from anyone who'd miss it. The more noble in the land were right to be concerned' Hamish kicked his chair back and stood up swiftly. 'After a battle with the golden guard, she was captured and sentenced to death. She was humiliated in the square of the Vintarian. Her head was shaved, she was striped and beaten. She was silent the entire time so the Council wouldn't get the satisfaction of seeing her suffer. They ordered one of the guards cut our her tongue, they refused, so the Councilman for Mitalvon, Commander Naldo, cut it out himself along with her eyes before she was paraded to the gallows.'

Hamish took a long drag from his pipe. 'She was hung and quartered. Olorian was quite barbaric back then. The Council didn't want to bury her so as not to create a shrine for Olorian anti-establishment so they buried her at see and all was well for a time.'

'What happened then?' Gideon asked.

'Years later on the eve of Commander Naldo's retirement celebration, he was attacked in his sleep, his eyes were gouged out. But the last thing he was was his attackers face. A face familiar, pale blue and stitched back together.' He ran his finger down the center of his face. 'The Hanged Woman had begun her revenge on the noble of Olorian. As the council retire, one by one they are attacked, never killed just blinded. Nobleman's ships that dare sail on the night of a hunter's moon are decimated. The crews taken and brainwashed into serving her and if they don't join her' He brought a finger across his throat.

'Wow.' Gideon interjected. 'That's a load of wank though innit?'

'Oh yeah.' Hamish nodded. 'It's definitely someone pretending to be her rather than actual necromancy, but they always attacks noble ships on a hunter's moon.' He gestured towards the letter. 'Looks like they've had enough.'

'Hiring The Contractors? I should say they are.' Gideon said. 'Why do they tell kids about her?'

'She's kind of our folk hero.' Hamish explained. 'She only stole from the rich and she brought prosperity to the villages of Olorian, that were super poor at the time. The villages of Olorian used to left by the wayside. She was right too, what does the Olorian flag looks like?'

'Purple and a yellow star.' Gideon answered.

Hamish clicked his fingers. 'What kind of star?'

'I just said a yellow star.' Gideon looked at him like he was an idiot.

'A four sided star, one for each city.' Hamish explained. 'The council didn't give a toss about the villages for centuries and before she came along, only the four major cities had libraries and schools.'

He rubbed one of the bookcases lightly. 'She paid to build a library and school in every village, next time your there, look above the entrance, you'll see her face carved into the stone.'

'She sounds cracking.' Gideon paused and thought for a moment. 'How long will you be then?'

'Couple of days.' Hamish replied. 'I'm guessing it will take a week tops.'

Gideon considered for a moment. 'You and Penn did well figuring out the peanut butter problem.' He thought aloud. 'Alright, I think I can spare you, but we'll need Bartholomew and Iranu on the Airship.'

'That's no bother, my mother lives near the border so I can just take one of the horses.' They began to leave the library. 'Should be about two days ride, she has like, the loveliest farm.'

At the door 'Check in on the rock when you get there.' Gideon instructed.

'No problem, good luck in Redbridge.' Hamish held out his hand.

'I'd rather be chasing a ghost pirate than collecting unsold inventory of peanut butter.' He rolled his eyes hard. 'Don't go get killed, yeah?' Gideon took his hand and both lightly slammed their bodies together before separating. In terms of members of the Protectorate expressing emotion towards each other, this was as affectionate as it got.

'I'll be safe, you know me.' Hamish assured him.

'Mate, that's what I'm worried about.' Gideon replied as he made his way downstairs.

* * *

Hamish went to his meticulously tidied room. He grabbed his go bag from next to his chest of drawers and tossed it on the bed. After a minute in the wardrobe, a light riding robe joined the bag.

Hamish picked up his canteen and communication rock from his bedside before scooping up the bed contents. He kicked the wardrobe door properly shut and headed towards the Airship.

'Oh Hamish, heard your not joining us.' Amaril greeted Hamish at the boarding ramp.

'I have some family matter to take care of.' Hamish replied. 'Take care of the little ones for me OK?'

'You know I will.' Amaril assured him.

Hamish whistled towards the ship and a couple of seconds later his pig, Bartholomew the Sixth emerged with his chicken companion on his back. He trotted down the ramp with pace.

'Hey you two.' Hamish crouched down and stroking both the pig and Iranu the chicken. 'I'm gonna be gone for a while, but I'll be back soon.' Hamish couldn't see Iranu's tiny chicken face behind his tiny mask but he could see the sadness in his eyes. 'Aramil's going to take care of you both, so behave OK?' He stroked both of them on the backs of their respective necks. Iranu nodded, Bartholomew oinked.

'It's going to be a lot of fun,' Aramil assured them. 'You have fun too Hamish, don't get killed.'

'Getting real sick of the don't get killed thing.' Hamish replied, as they bumped shoulders. 'Bye guys.' he walked away from them backwards and with the tiniest wave to his beloved pig and the chicken, he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Hoofs echoed as they impacted the cobbled streets of Morgrush, they soon turned to dull thuds from the grass path. The route through the woodlands would have been difficult to navigate had it not been such a popular path. It was a little bit all over the place at points but travelers had worn the woods into an antiquate transport route over the years.

Although there was no physical indicator he knew he had crossed the boarder into his home country of Olorian. He thought it might be the heat in air but if he had to wrote a study on it, he wouldn't be able to put his finger on it.

Hamish knew he was nearby, the countryside began to look a lot more familiar. Although some trees had gotten taller since he was here last, he could feel the surroundings nostalgia enveloping him. The small community of a dozen or so farms was quiet, as it was every evening. Hamish was sure the arrival of himself and his sister would be the the biggest news in the community, unless the Montano's scarecrow got blown down again.

Hamish pulled off the main trail into a pathway signposted

 _L'Asino Bellaluna, Effie and Hamish._

The path lead up to a modest sized white stone, two floor house. He guided his horse into the small stable just a few yards from the white wall and dismounted. His horse was not alone. He hitched her next to a strong looking black stallion. 'Defiantly purebred.' Hamish thought, taking of his bag from the back of the saddle and scattering some hay for his companion.

He took a swig of water from his canteen and noticed a few wisps playing at the edge of the field. He took in the surroundings, it'd been nearly a decade since he'd been through this door. He knocked.

The door opened and was immediately hugged by an elderly elf of similar height, 'Oh Bellisimo!' his face was enveloped by her frizzy Auburn hair.

'Why you not say you were coming?!' She asked grabbing him by the shoulders and pulling him into the house. 'You have a gray patch, how do you not have a wife with this face?.'

His Mother, Bellaluna L'Asino, kissed him on each cheek and hugged him again. 'Such a handsome face, just like your father, rest his soul.' She spoke into his shoulder.

'It's nice to be home Mum.' Hamish said into the mass of hair. 'I'm sorry it's been so long.'

'Don't be a silly boy.' Bellaluna tapped him lightly on the arm as they headed towards the dining room, 'From what your sister has been telling me you've been very busy.'

'Oh god, what's she told you?' Hamish asked, he noticed the offender sitting at the dining room table nursing a cup of tea. She was an Elf, like her mother, but with a mountainous frame. 'What did you tell her?'

'None of the bad stuff.' She said getting up from her chair, she towered a good foot above both Hamish and their mother, with matching auburn hair cut short and neatly.

'Didn't think you'd have time for this, how was the ride in?' She gave him a quick hug with the tree trunks that were her arms, they both sat down, he quickly checked that his ribs were not broken

'I've been further quicker before.' Hamish looked toward his mother fussing by the sink, 'Mother, come sit down.'

'You need tea.'

'I can get my own tea.'

'But you're my son.'

'I'm thirty three years old.'

'My thirty three year old son.' She said, placing a kettle and mug on the table. 'Who is still not married.'

'Why am I the one who has to get married?' Hamish asked exacerbated. 'Effie isn't married either.'

'Time is on your sister's side.' Bellaluna said pouring tea for her son.

'Pure breed advantage.' Effie's hands were immediately slapped her mother.

'Don't say things like that to your brother.' She warned. 'Besides your father may have been an elf but he certainly wasn't pure.'

Effie threw up her hands, 'Goddammit Mum.' Hamish chuckled.

* * *

They finished dinner, the plates, pots and pans were crammed into the sink. They'd had steak with grilled prawns and spinach perogi. As it had been when they were growing up, Effie's meal was twice the size of Hamish's.

It wasn't favoritism on their mothers part, Bellaluna knew before they'd began walking what everyone else now saw. Effie was a mountain, Hamish was a rake.

The table was clear save for three glasses of Merlot and four cards in a line. Hamish put his hand face down on the table and took a sip of wine before continuing, 'and this half-orc jumps form the ledge right next to me, knocks me on my ars...' He remembered his mother was present. 'on my butt with a face like I've just pissed on her kids on their birthday.'

'Why do you break my heart bellisimo?' Bellaluna whispered, despite this story ending with his survival as evidenced by his presence of the table, she was still on edge at the thought of her baby boy in such dread.

'If she grabs her axe, I'm done for. ' He continued, pretending to ignore his mother. 'So I, bravely, hold my hand up, the deck of wonders my hand and, I will never know how I convinced her, but she pulls a card, blinks and after the longest three seconds of my life, she picks me up and takes me over to Aramil who heals me up.' He placed a card face up and took two from the center.

'That's not diplomacy, that's lucky.' Effie pointed out as took a large swig of wine.

Hamish shrugged. 'What ever it was, she wanted to join us and I think Gideon kinda fancied her.' He pulled a card. 'After we got back to the rest. Turns out she'd had a bit of accountancy training, so we put her in charge of that food project I was telling you about.'

'So did your little friend find love?' Bellaluna placed a card and took two from the table.

Hamish shook his head. 'Turns out he wasn't her type.'

Effie placed a card. 'She not into men?'

'Not into Halflings.' Hamish sighed. 'Mum if you think I'm unlucky with love. Don't get me started on him.' He took two cards. 'Unlucky as a hydrophobic man overboard.'

'I just want one of you to have a child.' Bellaluna took a sip of wine. 'I've waited too long to be a grandmother.' She admitted, she'd avoided mother hood for centuries to climb to the top of her academic career but since she fell pregnant with Effie some fifty years ago, her maternal instinct went into over drive. She wanted to have a big family, but only managed to mother Effie and Hamish before her body failed her.

'You might be waiting a while from me.' Effie said

'I've been waiting for you both!' Bellaluna quietly yelled, she played a card and took the last two from the table. 'Just one of you have a child already.'

'I'm getting you a pet.' Hamish tossed his had and finished his wine.

Bellaluna tossed her cards in the center and pointed at him. 'Don you dare.'

'Not even a nice fox?'

'Don't be a silly boy.' Bellaluna looked him dead in the eye. 'They'll eat the junipers.'

Hamish let out a half cough, half laugh. His sister and mother both smiled. It had been almost a decade since they had been in the same room and despite that amount of time, nothing had changed between them.

Effie gathered the cards back into a deck and looked at her brother. 'Check on the horses?' She gestured her head to the door.

He nodded. 'Better had do.'

Bellaluna stood up, 'I'll make you some night tea and then I go bed.'

Effie sighed. 'Just go to bed mother, we can make our own tea.'

'It'll just take a second.' Bellaluna headed towards the stove.

Hamish cut her off. 'So will going to bed, OK?'

'Fine.' she pouted 'Hay is in the log store.' She kissed both her children on the cheeks before retiring to her room.

* * *

In the stable, Hamish threw the hay onto the holder. Effie replaced the water bucket with a fresh one.

'She's gone doolally.' Hamish evenly spread out the hay, making sure none of it had clumped together,

'Gone? She's always been like that.' Effie peered toward the house. 'She definitely went upstairs right?'

'Yeah, why?' Hamish wiped his hands on his handkerchief.

Effie let off a sly grin and rummaged around in her horse's saddlebags. 'I may have acquired a certain something.' Rummaging alone wasn't working, she peered into the saddle bag. 'From the other side of the jungle. Ah there we go.' She pulled out a tightly bound leather tobacco pouch. 'Ta-dah.'

Hamish let out a very, very long gasp and very, very slowly raised his pointing hand.

'Shut up.' Effie smiled as she skinned up the tobacco.

'Thought this kind of moral depravity would be banned by your employers.' Hamish took a seat at the bench attached to the side of the stable.

'I hope not, here.' Effie passed him a smoke and sat down, with a creak. 'Fire me.' She put the smoke to her lips. Hamish lit it with his pointer finger before lighting his own. 'Like half the veterans use this junk daily.' She took a long drag. 'Dulls pain, so all the aches and pains from a long time of fighting just flutter off.'

Hamish nodded, 'And the other benefits.'

'That too.' She leaned back. 'Now it really is like we're kids again.'

'Can't believe it's been nearly a decade.' Hamish exhaled deeply, hazing his view of the colorful whisps frolicking in the field for a moment before the smoke was lost on the gentle night's breeze.

'It's our curse. Some reason god made us live a stupidly long time.' She took another drag. 'It's value is lost to us.'

'You worry about that?' Hamish's eyes were following a purple wisp ducking and diving around an olive tree to avoid being caught be a green wisp in pursuit.

'Yeah I do, I see these old elves treating people like shit cause the last thing they want is to make an emotional connection.' Effie shrugged. 'It'll just be another funeral to attend.'

Effie stood up and rubbed her temple. This had been on her mind for a long time.

'Think about this, when I'm mum's age, you'll have been dead for half a millennium.' She took another drag. She was pacing now. 'And I'm going to have to turn into one of those emotional elven husks just to stay sane and even then a day will seem like a minute and I'll be some constant in time while the world moves around me. I might as well be a goddamn Ent at this rate.'

She stood still. 'You remember that Halfling friend of mine from school, patchy black beard, about this high?' Effie's arm gestured he was a little over five foot tall.

'Vaguely.' Hamish nodded.

'I kept in touch with him, his daughter had a kid to some blacksmith in Torm's Light about a year back.' She took a drag. 'Few month's back, get a letter from the daughter. Dead.' She resumed her seat on the bench.

She shook her head. 'Not killed. He'd kicked the booze in after wee Erin was born. He was a masseuse for some fancy spa in Monfri for fuck sake!' She threw her arms up. 'Safest job you could get.' She slouched down, brought her hand up and took another drag.

'Just natural causes. Forty nine years.' She stared off into the distance. 'Same fucking age as me.'

Hamish scooted over and gave her a one armed hug. He didn't know what words to say to comfort her. There wasn't a way to avoid it. She was an Elf, a pure blooded Elf, and she would most likely outlive everyone she'd meet outside of her race.

'Sorry, I'm rambling aren't I?' She sniffled slightly and sat up properly again, rubbing one of her eyes.

'Don't sweat it.' Hamish pulled out his handkerchief and offered it to Effie. 'It makes me feel better about being a half breed.'

She laughed taking the hanky and lightly dabbing her eyes before handing it back. 'Glad my turmoil is helping you.' She stood up and stomped out the smoke. 'This job isn't going to be pretty, you know what I do. We go to the Black Isle, we fight any resistance and I kill her.'

'It isn't my first time on this ride.' Hamish stood up and they started making their way back to the house. 'Besides, I'll only have to remember it for a century or two.' He shrugged.

Effie chuckled. 'Oh shut it.' She gave him a light shove, he stumbled a little but managed to keep his balance.

* * *

Hamish jolted awake to a loud clanging. 'Come get food!' His mother's voice called. He opened the door and looked down the stairs in just his under garments to check if he hadn't been thrown back to his youth. 'Does she know we're adults?' Hamish said to Effie who had done the same. She pointed to the side of her head and made a circle motion with her finger. 'Doolally.'

They got quickly got dressed and went down for the lovingly prepared breakfast. Bellaluna was in her mothering element. She loaded a couple of metal canteens with coffee for their journey, explaining that they had been charmed to keep the contents warm.

Outside, the siblings loaded their horses, Bellaluna made sure to ask a dozen if she could do anything to help. She resided to shining Effie's shoulder armour, the engraving of two swords in a cross shined to a almost mirror finish.

Effie gave her mother a huge hug, picking her up in the process, before mounting her purebred stallion.

Hamish hugged his mother too. 'I'm not gonna pick you up.'

She fussed with his coat collar, 'Much too skinny for that, thank the gods you're handsome.' She then tried to brush his hair with her fingers. 'Mum stop it.'

He protested, lightly slapping her hands away. 'I'm your mother, shut up and let me mother you.' She said as she dodged his parrys and made sure his hair was swept back the way he always had it.

He mounted his horse and the siblings set off, their mother waving until they were out of sight. She dabbed her eyes with her handkerchief and went back inside.


	3. Chapter 3

Ovali was the city of the arts. You'd have the shitist aim imaginable to throw a stone in Ovali and not hit a theater, musical venue or street performer.

It was mid-afternoon when the sound of music hit Effie's ears, it took a little while longer before Hamish could hear it too. It was a bubble of sound surrounding the city of mish-mash of every instrument imaginable, even some that had been just been invented that morning, they were riding right in to the throng of it.

They entered the city gates and hitched their horses with a stable master on the edge of the city who guaranteed the horses a good night's sleep and a peaceful lodging by way of his husbands revolutionary invention, horse earmuffs.

Effie paid the stable master handsomely, 'You know where the Two Bow Tavern is?'

'Tha' shite 'ole?' He furrowed his brow. 'Ai! Go ou' 'ere, lef' t'square righ' den righ' den dern snikkit, 'tairs on lef' g'den oyerigh'' They left the stable master's office knowing exactly where to go.

As they got closer to the center of the city, the streets were packed with crowds and performers. They walked passed A small gnome was playing what looked like a three tiny harps on a wheel by was hitting it with a weasel.

They walked passed an Elf woman on a tiny stage, 'Teaching is easy, I did it for three hundred years, and anyone can do it, two rules, don't punch the kids.' The audience laughed. 'and second, don't fuck the kids.' This time they clapped.

They walked past a square where a rectangular stage had been set up. A man with black hair was shouting at a bearded man '...you'll never win the heart of these people!' He yelled in his face. The beard man looked to the crowed, then to the black haired man. 'Fine speech.' He nodded before shooting harmless coloured sparks out of his hands into the black hair's chest, 'Argh!' he screamed throwing himself backwards, 'You're dead sunshine!' mellow drama oozing from his screams.

They walked passed a dwarf, a halfling and a gnome all on the others shoulders playing a sitar and a violin in perfect harmony.

A centaur girl in black lacy unmentionables performing an erotic fan dance.

A Teifling man in a suit and tie stood on an upturned crate, 'I don't why women are so messy. Any shape shifters here?' He looked out, and saw a hand raised. 'You there you handsome sod, what's your name? Ralph? How exotic. When you shape shift into a woman, and it's fine, we've all thought about it.' He squeezed his chest with one hand and made a wanking motion with the other. The crowd laughed, 'OK, when you shape shift into a woman, which is fine. Do...wardrobes become invisible?' They laughed again.

They when down a set of stone stairs which led them to right outside a ramshackle looking pub that was carved into the bottom of a small cliff.

A small sign said the place was the Two Bow Tavern, however it was hard to make out, there was a lot of damp covering the sign, it was littered with buck shots and, fittingly and few arrows.

The dingy little place was exclusively stone, save for the bar and tables. Being so close to sea level, the carpet consisted entirely of moss, the dart board had was barley visible under the layers of black and green mold, it didn't stop the patrons from playing on it anyway.

'Get the drinks in Hamish.' Effie said as she quickly sat at the table of one of the nooks against the far wall. Her size and built physique, drew attention briefly but by the time Hamish came to the table with two pints of blonde, the patrons had returned to their conversations and drinks.

'I think they're just seeing who gets a bulls-eye first, I can't see anyone taking score.' Hamish sat down, placing the pints straight on to the scorched wood table.

After a few minutes of playing cards and looking towards the drunk violinist wobbling on an upturned beer crate, keeping tune but just barely. A clocked figure passed by the table, dropping a bear mat that landed next to Effie's pint. She flipped it over, it had been scribbled on,

 _053-307363452175_

'You want to give this a crack?' Effie asked nodding to the mat

'Target would have died of old age by the time anyone figures that out.' Hamish knew a fruitless endeavor when he saw one.

She took an uncharacteristically small sip and slammed her pint on the mat. A small volume of blonde sloshed out onto the mat and the ink began to run.

They finished their drinks, Hamish dropped the empty glasses at the bar on the way out.

The bartender raised his eyebrow, 'Tourists.' He grunted with disdain. For the first time in the history of the Two Bow Tavern someone had bothered to take their glasses back to the bar.


	4. Chapter 4

'First was zero five three' Effie explained as they made their way through the city. The collective noise of the street performers was a perfect mask from being over heard. 'and today is a Wednesday in summer so that mean we're going to the dock.'

The crowds thinned as they got closer to the docks but not by much. As soon as they stood overlooking the docks , A ship stood out to Hamish, rather than brown, black or beech, there was a ship halfway down the closest pier that was a natural red wood. Hamish stared at the lavish hull as he made his way over.

Next to the loading ramp, a dark skinned human sat cross legged on a murky storage crate adorned with various gun parts.

Her platinum blonde dreadlocks were tied up with a scarlet rag that matched her leather jacket, from her clothes she looked sea worn, most sailor's did after a couple of years of being married to the sea, but she still looked optimistic.

'See something you like stranger?' She asked smugly, she had the best looking boat in the port and she damn well knew it.

'Long time since I've seen a boat made of garnet wood.' He replied, noticing a small tattoo to the left of her face.

'She's a spicy little minx for sure.' She idly fiddled with the components next to her, and in seconds her Blunderbuss was half built. 'You best shag off stranger, I'm waiting for a passenger, big money involved, can't be seen chatting, need to make a good first impression.' Her weapon fully assembled.

He furrowed his brow. 'The Tenth Sword?'

'How did...' Her eyes widened. 'Oh wank, your them aren't you?'

'I'm her...' Hamish extended his hand, but was cut off.

'Hang about, where's your sword?' She pointed the Blunderbuss at his waist. 'How the chuff can you be The Tenth Sword without a sword?' She held her chin between her thumb and finger. 'Unless the sword is a code name to throw people off. Those contractors are some bloody clever folk ain't they Tenth Sword?'

His hand would not be shaken, he took it back.

'I'm the her brother.' Hamish looked around and looked for Effie, she was a foot taller than everyone else in the immediate area he spotted her quickly at the other side of the pier and pointed her out. 'She's the Tenth Sword.'

'Bloody Hell.' The woman stood a top the crate, her open scarlet tailcoat jacket became unbundled by the sea breeze, reveling a white vest and black ruffled skirt.

She whistled and waved her hand. Effie and a number of other people looked over to the Human. Effie saw Hamish was next to her and started making her way over.

'Captain Nabila?' Effie asked the woman on the crate, they were eye to eye.

She nodded 'Captain Nabila, at your service my dear passengers.' The Captain bowed, she tossed her Blunderbuss over her head and into it's holster before jumping down, she stood at five six in her mocha knee high boots.

She looked up at Effie, 'You're massive, I feel sorry for your horse.' The Captain grabbed her tree trunk of an arm, she tried in vein to squeeze for any piece of flab. 'Glad your on my side. What's your proper name Tenth Sword?'

'Effie. We're light travelers so it's just us.' She held out her hand, the captain took it.

'Best be getting on board then, next stop, the Black Isle.' She ascended the loading ramp. 'Hey Liz!' She yelled at a Goliath crew member, 'Can you grab that gunpowder, when you have a sec darling?' She shouted pointing towards the crate she was just using as a chair. Liz gave her a thumbs up. 'Cheers you big slag.' Liz gave another thumbs up.

She took lead the siblings across the deck. Around them a half dozen crew only a few were doing work, a couple were playing cards, another writing a letter while she was able to mail it.

Captain Nabila out stretched her arms and turned into a circle. 'So this is the Gimel, third to bare the name.'

Effie cocked an eyebrow, 'What happened to the...'

Nabila cut her off. 'You two are gonna be in the guest quarters just over there.' She pointed to towards the door at the back of the main deck, just under the helm. 'We've got a few rules.' She held up five fingers and counted them off.

'Stay out of the crew quarters and my quarters at all times unless invited. We keep a eye-wateringly large stock of explosives in the hull, so smoking is only on the bow. You can have a drink but don't get drunk. No fighting and' Nabila still had one finger up, her eyes drifted to the sky, her mouth slightly open she ermed. 'I'm sure it was five, but yeah, follow those and we'll get on like a couple of horny Octopus.' She wiggled her fingers towards as if they were tentacles. She nodded to the guest quarters. 'Go dump your crap, we set off in ten.'

She ran up the stairs to the helm, she nudged a Gnome who pointed at her. The Captain's voice boomed over the bustling noise, 'Ten minutes darlings!' The crew kicked into gear. The small Catfolk girl writing the letter jolted up and scribbled faster before sealing her envelope. Liz collected the gunpowder and took it below deck. Hamish and Effie emerged after dropping off there bags.

'You two.' They looked up to the helm. 'Get up here, best view on the ship.' Nabila called, waving them up. 'Except for the skipper's view I suppose but you get the idea.' She gestured to the Gnome next to her. 'This is Mat, he's the first mate and lighting officer.' Mat gave a tiny wave. Captain Nabila pointed at him. 'You want anything, you talk to him. If he says no, talk to me and I'll talk to him.' She pointed to herself, then Mat again before gripping the wheel again.

'Nice t-to have you on b-board Tenth Sword.' Mat said, barely maintaining eye contact.

'Likewise.' Effie replied.

'Y-your size is a-as m-m-mighty as I had b-been informed.' Mat looked at his clipboard and then to everywhere but Effie.

'Thank you?' Effie replied, not certain how to take it.

The Captain stomped on a pedal at her feet and a bell rang. 'Looks clear Captain.' The Cat folk girl in the crow's nest reported in via a metal tube running down the mast and coming out of a small horn attached to the wheel casing.

On the main deck, the other crew were holding a loose rope attached to the back of the mast, the human closet to the mast a nod to Liz, who was holding another loose rope by herself that was attached to the front of the mast.

The rope was firm in her hands. Captain Nabila was looking at Liz, waiting. Liz took a deep breath and gave the Captain a nod, who rung the bell again. Liz pulled raising the jib sail in one smooth motion.

The Gimel rotated slowly so that the helm was facing away from the docks and to the sea. The Catfolk girl look towards the sea, her mouth a couple of inches form the tube to the helm. She saw a tiny junker in their path. Fourteen seconds. They passed, she could feel a gust about to come in with her whiskers.

She checked again, nothing in the way. She closed her eyes, and could feel the wind moving her sandy fur more roughly, 'Wee bit more.' She thought, her claws dug into the wood of the nest. The wind ruffled her whiskers violently. She opened her eyes, 'Go!'

The Captain's bell rung again, the crew pulled rope to erect the main sail just as a gush of wind rolled in. The acceleration was gentle at first but having caught the wind at the perfect moment they were out of the Harbour at a rate Hamish had not thought possible in a traditional ship.

Captain Nabila was gripping the wheel, grinning ear to ear. Hamish had had plenty of smooth take offs with his Airship, but never seen, let alone been aboard, a water boat launch so smooth and fast before, he looked at the Captain astounded.

'I know right?' Still gripping the wheel tightly. 'They thought I was mad putting a having a Catfolk on my crew, absolutely barmy they said.' She laughed. 'Yuko she's called and she's the best damn lookout I've had and I've gone through a load of lo...' Mat nudged her in the leg with his elbow. 'Oh erm...so yeah, I spoke to the harbor-keep this morning, weather is on our side, should be smooth waters.' Captain Nabila informed them. 'I'm predicting an uneventful voyage. She shrugged. 'You never know, we might get board.'


	5. Chapter 5

The sun was just on the brink of dropping below the horizon behind them as they sailed east. The Black Isle was a third of the way between Olorian and the Frozen Wastes. A few members of the crew were on deck but it was just to kill time, they were currently in smooth sailing territory at the moment. Effie and Captain Nabila stood at the helm.

'It's a bloody loud city innit but, I kinda like it.' Nabila said, reflecting on her brief time on shore in Ovali.

'You'd probably be desensitized to it after a while.'

'You'd have to you.' Nabila replied, 'I'd go mental if I had to plan navigation with that going on around me.'

Hamish returned to the helm, two coffees in hand. 'There you go milk and three sugars for Captain.'

'You are my salvation right now.' Captain Nabila took the mug and blew onto the surface, the heat of the coffee blew back up into her face warming up her nose, before she took a sip. 'Keep this up and I'll kidnap you for my crew.'

Effie tried to stifle a yawn but best she could do was cover her open mouth with her hand. 'I'm gonna go catch some sleep.'

'Night sis.'

'Let me know if that hammock isn't strong enough and I'll get Mat the sort you out.' Nabila offered.

Effie thumped down the stairs. Leaving Hamish and the Captain alone on the helm.

'You know any illumination spells?' Nabila asked. Hamish nodded. 'Do you mind doing the lanterns? I'd ask Mat but if I wake the scamp up now he'll be falling asleep again before sunrise.'

Hamish eyed up the lanterns throughout the ship and with a point of his fingers lit a dozen lanterns simultaneously. Nabila pointed to the one right above them, 'Missed one.'

'You mine if a smoke up here?' Hamish asked tapping his pocket.

'Not at all and I think,' She pulled out a curved pipe from her jacket, mahogany and two foot in length. 'I might join you.'

Hamish raised an eye brow, 'Are you compensating for something captain?' Compared to his four inch ebony wood smoking pipe, it looked a bit silly.

'Erm...yeah, I have no cock,' She patted the front of her ruffled skirt twice. 'So I need to compensate with a giant pipe.' She pulled out a tobacco pouch from her pocket. 'Want to try this bacci?' Holding the pouch up. 'It's cherry flavored.'

'I'm not beneath trying something so fruity.'

'Here' Nabila took out a pinch of her tobacco and stuffed it Hamish's pipe.

'Cheers.' Hamish pointed and lit both of the pipes as well as the lantern he'd missed out before. He took a long drag, the cherry flavour kicked in during the exhale. He enjoyed it.

'My mast as well.' Nabila said, pointing ahead. Hamish raised his eyebrow. 'Compensating with my big, stiff ma-'

'Throbbing.'

She chuckled, 'Yeah, defiantly throbbing mast.' She looked around and whispered. 'Sometimes when I'm alone up here I lie down on my back and put my legs either side of it.'

'Just like a real cock.' Hamish acted surprised. 'Very clever.'

'Except, about thirty feet tall.' She couldn't quite remember the mast height, of the top of her head.

'When I was training back in Gran Orali we heard about a student in Monfri that tried an enlargement spell on his member mid-coitus.'

'Oh...my downstairs hurt just thinking about that.' Captain Nabila winced. 'How that work out for him?' Morbidly curious.

'Alright for him, his gentleman's staff was like twice as big, so result.' Hamish gestured two thumbs up.' Problem was he was on top, the spell made the enlarged area super heavy, lady friend ended up with a tilted pelvis.'

'Fucking hell.' She took a long drag. 'I miss being in training, wild times.'

'Were you in Captain's training?' Hamish asked.

'Sort of, I was in The Passage Navy Academy. Some of the rowdiest parties I've been to were at that academy.'

'Why didn't you stay?'

'See this right here?' Nabila pointed to her small white skull tattoo just next to her eye. 'It's tradition for the graduating class to prank the first years during the last week of term. I get tied to a tree and tattooed with a tiny skull. So I stick a bandage over it, until the end of term. Come back in the second year and I could hide it way better, all healed up and that, just a finger dab of boot polish and I can go to class.'

'How did you get caught?'

'In second year we need to start doing fitness training, we do a ten mile rule, at the finish I'm knackerd wipe my face with my shirt without thinking. Smears off and jig is up.' She shrugged. 'I explain but no one gives a toss. Pirate symbol on Navy personnel, no chance.'

The sun had fully set Nabila just stared out into the darkness ahead and let out a laugh.

'But if I'd of stayed there, I would have to wait another eight years before I would even be considered for captain. So dropped out correction, kicked out. Worked for a few other ships, saved enough for a deposit, get a loan and here I am.' She held out her arms. 'Little girl from South Redbridge A real captain, in massive debt mind you but I can deal with that.'

Hamish smiled, 'Reminds me, I was training to be an arch mage back in Grand Orlei, my mum was over the moon cause arch-mage rarely go out on these grand adventures he-'

'Never seen an arch mage get twated in the face by a Knoll' She interrupted.

He pointed at her, 'Yeah exactly, but he had these daft little sayings, but one that I quite liked was that no matter where you end up is where you're supposed be, because water always finds it's level.'

'Water finds it level huh?' She repeated and nodded her head. 'I like that one.'

They fell into a comfortable silence as they sailed into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

The night passed as uneventful as Captain Nabila predicted. The night crew handed over the helm to Mat while the Captain finished getting dressed, she arrived at the helm, jacket over her shoulder with a hunk of bread wedged into her gob.

'I got it Mat, you go get some sleep. I'll holla you if it all goes tits up.' The Captain noticed Effie and Hamish both going back and forth across the deck. Hamish was shirtless and running, Effie wore a tight fitting singlet and was moving at the same pace as Hamish however she was on her hands and feet crab walking.

They continued for another ten minutes eventually Hamish stop to take a breath, the second Effie saw her brother had given up, she collapsed to the floor in a beet red sweaty mess.

Hamish leaned against the wooden rail at the side raising his arms up to fill his lungs just that little be more. He looked up at the helm and found the eye of Captain Nabila already watching him. She blinked. 'Morning!' She waved, 'try not to get too much sweat on the deck love!' He gave her a thumbs up.

They washed up, changed and brought to the helm various tattered maps of the Black Isle.

'Newest map we have on record is about three hundred years old.' Effie unrolled them flat on to the table.

The Black Isle was only a couple of miles in area but many years ago, it was as a key port before the modernization of sailing technology. It served as a pit stop between the Nall and the formerly prosperous continent that became known as the Frozen Wastes.

Free from the jurisdiction of any government or police force, it was a mecca for illicit trade and vice. As the Frozen Waste fell to ruin, the port was used less and less frequently. As far as the civilized world knew, The Black Isle was abandoned centuries ago.

'I think they would use this structure.' She pointed the a square situated on the northern edge of a cove.

'If I wanted the see every boat coming in, that's where it'd want to be.' Captain Nabila thought a loud holding her own chin. 'Would there be any defenses?'

Effie shook her head 'Nothing in recorded history.'

'Most of the recorded history of this island from, what I recall, is about the activities perpetrated on the island, rather than details about the island itself.' Hamish had extensive knowledge of the history of Olorian and Olorian trade routes through his training.

'I don't feel comfortable sailing up to the middle of the cove' Nabila raised her hands to amplify her words. 'Morning sunshine, just here for a quick invasion, please don't cannon us to death, cheers!' She leaned back to the table. 'We have a cannon down is the hold that might still work, but I don't fancy my chances.'

'I don't think that would be a solid tactic.' Effie agreed.

'It would be the quickest way to the structure.' Hamish thought aloud. 'But if they have basic defenses, we'll sink like a sack of spuds.'

'Cove like that, I'm guessing they'd have cannons here, and here at the very least.' Nablia pointed to either side of the cove's entrance on the map.

The three debated around the table, the afternoon sun beat down on them as they sailed further and further away from the continent of Nall.

After an hour, Hamish walked away from the table at the hull and made his way to the bow of the ship. Planning was difficult, once everyone had their own solution and the road to compromise was always a long one.

Hamish found it was easier to move a boulder with a quill than it was to convince someone that their plan had flaws and it might not necessarily be the best course of action.

He wanted to scout the coast of The Black Isle from the ship, to find another place to dock, failing that, dock in the cove.

Effie wanted to brush off the cannon and dock in the cove right away, it was the quickest path but also the most dangerous.

Captain Nabila wanted to avoid her ship going into the cove. She was the most tactical when it came to nautical strategies and was convinced that if they sailed into the cove and their was any defenses in place, the ship would be splinters by the time it reached the dock.

Her idea was to use explosives planted on the other side of the island as a distraction to clear the cove of any manned defenses. She wanted a lot of explosives and for them to be spaced out to create the illusion of a genuine fracas.

Hamish sighed, rubbing between his eyes, pulled out and lit his pipe to unfog his brain. He'd been through planning a hundred times before, this time was more laborious than the other times.

With his usual group of The Protectorate, he knew how his friends would react and, after a decade of working together, could quite often guess the kinds of proposals each person would suggest.

With Effie, he'd known his sister his entire life but they hadn't ran together since he was a teenager and she'd been working for The Contractors, she would have picked up an entirely new playbook on the way. He hadn't known Captain Nabila until the previous day, she was a mystery, at least for now.

A small sandy furred catfolk girl joined him in the designated smoking area. She was only about four foot tall. She wore studded leather shorts with a matching tank top, gauntlets and not much else.

She bounded up and sat on the wooden barrier, one leg over the edge, the other over the scarlet wood off the bow.

'y'doin alrigh up there?' she asked nodding to the helm.

'It's like pulling teeth.' Hamish extended his hand. 'Hamish. You're the lookout right?'

She shook his hard firmly. 'Ai, am Yuko. Yous all got a plan yet?'

Hamish shook his head and explained the delicate situation. Yuko scrunched her face. 'Could yers row tut cove?'

'Row?'

'Ai, dare's a row boat doon the hull. Capin has a shite loada gunpodwer in at the mo. Yuko explained. 'Take dat shite oot an fuckin row the cove, it'sa wee fucker so unless they got some kinda fuckin sniper cannon they'll ney hit yous.'

Hamish was dumbstruck. 'Come to the helm.'

'Am aving a fuckin fag pal.' Yuko put her hand to shut down the suggestion. 'Give me a mo or two, ya inpatient bastard.'

A moment later she tossed what remained of her rolly off the side of the ship and made her way to the helm with Hamish.

'Hey Captain, you have a row boat?' Hamish asked walking up to the table.

Nabila scrunched her face. 'No.'

'Ye you fuckin do.' Yuko spoke up. 'It's in d'hull wi ya gunpowder innit.'

Nabila's eyes lit up. 'We do have the row boat! We can go in the cove in all stealthy like.' She looked at Hamish and Effie

'That could work, I mean, my armor isn't the quietest but better than having a full boat in the cove.' Effie nodded her head.

'I could lend a quiet hand, Yuko can be quite graceful when she needs to be.' Nabila suggested. 'She's a scrapper too, she'll be able to handle herself if it gets hairy.'

'Fuckin' funny clogs ain't yous.' Yuko nodded to the Captain. 'but Ai, I can knack'a cunt when I needs't' The group ironed out the details of the plan and The Gimel continued sailing it's course.

That evening, Big Liz and a few other crew dug out the row boat from the hull. Yuko and Mat went over it making sure it was still sea worthy. They left it to dry on the main deck overnight after a quick coat of sealant.


	7. Chapter 7

Mid-next morning, they saw The Black Isle on the horizon. It was small and as they approached it started getting bigger, but not by much, the Island was only a couple of miles in area.

On the deck, Effie, laid out her full armour. It was a lot bigger than regular armour as it had to contain the mountain of an elf that was Effie but her shoulder pauldrons looked as though they were stolen from a Giant-kin. She completed a set of stretches before the beginning the long process of suiting up.

Yuko did a couple squats before clawing at the wooden barrier to ensure her claws were not just sharp, but fight ready sharp. The Captain grabbed an extra belt of slugs and tossed them over her shoulder.

They dropped anchor about two miles out from the cove. Liz loaded a barrel of gunpowder onto the rowboat, followed by Effie jumping in on the deck, with her overall weight, there was no way she'd be jump in once it was on the water. From the helm, Mat slowly levitated the row boat to the side of The Gimel.

Hamish, Nabila and Yuko climbed down and began rowing towards the island. Yuko took over the rowing duties as they approached the narrow entrance to the Cove. Hamish focused and raised his hands, a sphere of water enveloped the boat, to cloak their presence.

A faint explosion of cannon fire sounded behind them. The Gimel's shot fell way short of the island, but the ruckus had caused a stir.

The cliffs either side were dark gritstone, going fifty feet into the air. The group in the row boat saw a dozen or so troops of all races, dressed in white on either side of the rocks look out towards the Gimel in the distance.

They did not return fire, there was no point, the ship was too far out of range.

Nabila loaded up a ceramic ball of gun power into a sling shot. She stood up, lit the fuse and began spinning it overhead. Hamish opened a gap in their cloak of water and the Captain let the ceramic fly.

By the time it had landed, knocking most of the troops off the cliff, she was winding up another. Hamish rearranged the gap in the cloak and she let off a matching explosion on the other cliff. They sat down and continued toward the dock.

The inside of the cove contained the town they were aiming for. It's dark sandy beech dominated the entire coastline. Hamish was surprised at how dilapidated the small town looked, the majority of building lay in ruins.

Only about three of the sixty structures remained in tact and they bared the scars of cannon blasts and scorch marks of fire damage. A few ships were docked in what looked like the last remaining pier, but the one furthest one from the land stood out.

Around the same size as The Gimel, it was by far, the most fortified boat. Hamish could spot around a dozen troops by it on the jetty, scrambling to set sail, Hamish assumed to meet The Gimel.

'We need to sink that one on the end.' Hamish told the others.

'If that gets to The Gimel, we're done for.' Nablia thought aloud whist loading three ceramic balls into her slingshot.

Hamish dropped the cloak and let off a volley of scorching rays towards the sail and deck of the ship, Nablia let of the ceramic balls but shot two of them down with her Blunderbuss, the gunpowder showered the deck of the boat, accelerating the spread of the fire faster than anyone on board could handle.

Hamish shot off an acidic bubble towards the hull of the ship and by the time they had landed on the beech next to the pier, the ship was crippled with half it's deck submerged.

Effie landed on the sand with a dull thud, she grabbed the barrel of gun power and ran the short distance under the pier. She joined the others gathered on the promenade in time to see the barrel explode. The entrance to the pier collapsed separating the troops from the remaining boats.

'That was beautiful.' Nabila swooned at the black smokey aftermath. Yuko nudged her back to reality.

'Where do'ee head fro' here?' She asked to Hamish.

'Just along here, right and a straight road.' He explained gesturing with his arms.

They made their way along the promenade, and stopped at the corner they needed to take. Yuko checked around the corner. 'E got aboot eight lads in white.'

'Lot of cover on the right. Can you go around and attack from the side on my mark?' Nabila asked Yuko, the Catfolk girl nodded and disappeared over the wall.

The Captain held up a ceramic ball. 'This is the mark by the way.' She smiled at the siblings.

She tossed the ball to the opposite side of the road, as soon as it had left her hand, Effie began running at the gathered troops. They came to seen that the huge explosion was, they were not expecting a seven foot mountain of an elf wielding a great sword as wide as a mast to come charging at them.

The ball let off a blast and Yuko pounced towards one of the gathered troops at the back of the group. She swiped the back of his knees, cutting the tendons to ribbons and by the time he doubled over backwards in agony, she had moved on to the next troop.

Effie's armored shoulder barged into the face of a human troops with a muffled crunch they went flying backwards violently. She swung at the other troops in the group, to create some distance and engaged in combat with the poor dwarf troop who stepped forward first.

Hamish rolled from cover, arms out, he shot off magic missiles picking off troops at the far edge of the group, while Nabila did the same on the other side with her Blunderbuss.

It only took a moment to clear the area, before they set off up the road through the town. The brick road soon became a dirt trail heading up a large hill, an expanse of scorched trees lay either side of them. Wildfire damage, Hamish thought based on the heat of the island and wavy view in the distance.

They moved in a two by two formation with Effie and Yuko on point, with Captain Nabila and Hamish at the rear.

'I can hear people ahead.' The party stopped, Effie took a knee, closed her eyes and concentrated. 'Two people, just over this next hill on the left.'

'I'll ge'it.' Yuko piped up. 'Quiet yeah?' She looked to Nabila who nodded. Yuko set off ahead.

Effie was listening intently for a minute before her face dropped. 'I just heard her yell in pain.'

'Shit, let's go.' Nabila cursed as they set off in pain.

They came upon a small guard tower, only about ten feet high. On the ground a Gnome troop lay dead, thrown from the tower from the positioning. At the foot of the tower, lay a human troop along with Yuko, a dagger lodged firmly in her left shoulder. She was sat upright, not making noise but from her face, she was clearly in a lot of pain.

'Speedy fuck' go' me.' She nodded to the human troop through gritted teeth. Nabila dropped to her knees and inspected the damage. 'Jus' bandage th' cunt up.'

'I am.' Nabila took out a bandage from the belt pocket and dressed the wound. 'That'll do until Mat can look at this.'

'Ah grea' let's ge' goin' Yuko went to stand up, but Nabila pushed her back to where she was sat.

'Not a chance.' Nabila said sternly.

'Ay fu-' Yuko began, before Nabila cut her off.

'You're staying here love. If not voluntarily, I'll tie you to that ladder.' Nablia told her sternly.

Yuko started to argue but gave up before any words could form.

'We'll pick you up on the way back love.' Nabila told her, she grabbed a small bottle from her knapsack and handed it down to Yuko. She opened the bottle and gave it a sniff, her eyes lit up. 'Cheers cap'n.' She toasted as she took a swig.

'She'll be alright?' Effie asked, uneasy leaving her.

'It's just hit muscle.' Hamish explained as they began back onto the trail. 'If it had hit an artery, would have been way more blood.'

Nabila nodded, 'Exactly, she'll be good for a couple of hours.'

* * *

Over the next hill they could see the white stone Château, however they had a large outer fence to get past first being guarded by four troops in white. Two on the ground and two in lookout positions.

Hamish hit one of the lookouts with a lighting bolt, he fell hard. The other lookout made their way to check on the fallen, he didn't get there due to Nabila's Blunderbuss. Effie made quick work of the ill prepared guards.

'Enter at you're own terror' Hamish read the crudely painted sign on the outer gate a loud. Captain Nabila shrugged, 'Terror? Oh no, we should go home.'

Effie shook her head, 'It's always terror or dread or be afraid.'

'Never had a do not enter, you'll ruin our mega good vibes?' Nabila asked.

'I'm sure I will eventually.' Effie replied.

'Shall I use an explosive the get this open?' Captain Nabila asked, ceramic ball already in hand.

'Save it, I have this.' Hamish shined his Ring and punched the gates, a spectral Ram emerged and rattled the gate, but it was not breached. 'Huh.' He looked at the ring, disappointed.

Effie, placed her hand on the gate contemplating. 'Hamish, hold my sword.' She tossed it toward him, he tried to catch it with one hand but it was far too heavy, and dragged him to the ground.

Effie took a step back, turned sideways and crouched low. She launched forward and popped up, shoulder first into the gate. They flung open. She grabbed her sword with one hand and pulled Hamish up by the scruff of the neck with the other. 'Let's get moving.'

Captain Nabila smiled at a slightly embarrassed Hamish. 'Aw, that was so cute.'


	8. Chapter 8

They moved through the grounds of the Château, much like the town, the stone garden decorations lay in ruins. At the large wooden door at the entrance Château, Effie put her hand to the door to assess the amount of force she'd have to barge through it, however it was unlocked and creaked open. She shared a confused glance with the others before moving inside.

Effie, Hamish and Captain Nabila walked slowly down the corridor. The open archways either side of them overlooked a large, long dead vineyard and a view of the cove from which they emerged.

They moved forward as quietly as possible, sword, blunderbuss and staff at the ready. The soft sound of footsteps and light ratter of armor made it's way the open space of the central courtyard.

Troops in white were stood on the three floors of balcony surrounding them. Their weapons raised. They remained still and silent, watching the intruders.

Eighty yards ahead of them, atop a wooden scaffolding at the base of the brilliant white clock tower stood a woman of ghostly pale complexion. Her shaved head showed a scar, running from throat to back, poorly stitched together. She clapped slowly, echoing throughout the courtyard.

'Your armor' The Unhanged Woman pointed down to the trio, pacing back and forth. 'Dwarfen made. You could feed a village for a year for the cost of that. And yet I am the one condemned?' she shook her head.

Captain Nabila cleared her throat softly. 'Have you noticed.' She whispered to the siblings trying to move her lips as little as possible. 'We might have the only magic user here?'

The siblings slowly looked around and scouted the white troops on the balconies. Swords, axes, notched arrows, a hammer, a primed chakram even a metal pipe, but not a single wand, staff of any thing to indicate a magical offense.

Hamish concentrated. No magical energy in the area. None form the troops surrounding them. Non from the supposed reanimated woman above them. He made eye contact with Effie and shook his head, confirming what he suspected, an imitator.

'I hope you've enjoined this beautiful ancient Olorian architecture.' The Unhung Woman grabbed the balcony and snarled. 'Or as you'll know it soon, your grave!' She looked around at her forces gathered on the baloney.

'Bring me their heads!' She barked at her troops, the collection of white troops spread out, some head for the stairs to get closer. Multiple arrows flew for the trio, Effie cut a half dozen down with a swift swing of her mighty sword.

Hamish dived out of the way, from the floor he let of a volley of scorching rays towards staircases on the ground floor. A descending troop jumped through from the stairs, despite his agility, his clothing caught ablaze.

Dropping his sword he tried to take of his burning armor but fell to the ground dead before he could get off anything more than his gauntlets, his fellow troops turned back to find a staircase not on fire.

Nabila rolled out of the way and immediately began unloading her Blunderbuss. The force from the blasts sent the archers careening backwards.

An elfen troop dropped to the ground clutching her shoulder, she squeezed her fist to make sure she could still move her arm. She pushed up to one knee and a ceramic ball bounced on the balcony in front of her. It took her a second to realize what it was and another second that the fuse had burned too short for her to be anything other than completely fucked. The explosion atomized her and a few other nearby troops.

The Captain unloaded her blunderbuss and tossed explosives into the balconies like confetti at a wedding. Along with Hamish blocking the only escape routes on the ground floor, they proved an effective fighting duo, however some of the troops had managed to get to the ground and charged at the three.

'You two, get to cover. ' Effie shouted behind her, she stood shoulder first to the charging troop.

Her girthy great sword faced was held two handed at her waist, facing away from her attackers.

A halberd was thrust toward her, she arced her sword upward, disarming her attacker before bringing her gargantuan blade down to the troop's collar bone. She turned inward pulling the sword from the troop's stomach.

Using the inertia of her turn, she swung toward the three remaining attackers.

It was supposed to put some distance between them however the very tip of her sword made contact with a dwarf's closed helm. He fell to his knees, axe clattering to the stone ground.

She stepped backwards, two attackers, both human, first, rapier, awful stance, heavy breathing, young, he was panicked.

Second, longsword, older, unfazed. 'Take down the longsword, the lad will run.' Effie thought to herself backing up. From behind, A Blunderbuss shot put a stop to a notched bow at the balcony.

The longsword leaped forward to take a swing, Effie barged shoulder first to his legs, she contacted heavily. He landed face first on the stone floor, but was still conscious as Effie punctured his throat.

She resumed her first position, shoulder first, two handed at her waist, facing away from the troop with the rapier. His face was as white as a sheet, he could barley hold his weapon his hand was shaking so much. Effie just shook her head ever so slightly.

He dropped his sword with a clatter and ran, he only got two steps before The Unhanged Woman put an arrow into his neck. Effie ran backwards to join Hamish and Nabila in cover.

'You thought you were going to be facing just my troops?' The Unhanged Woman shook her head frantically, pacing back an forth on the wooden scaffold she stood. 'No no no, you're going to be facing my creature from The Abyss!' She screeched at the top of her lungs. 'Unleash my creature!'

From beneath the wooden structure she stood, iron gates opened with a loud scrape, reviling a dark aperture in the wall.

From the darkness, a dull thud emitted, the ground shook. Slowly emerging from the darkness, a colossal reptilian creature crawled. The sunlight reflected off it's white scales lighting it up like a holy light.

The forty foot creature was bleeding from either side of his mouth, where crude piercings had been affixed to hold in place the reigns which were being held by Orc, sat a top the abomination's back.

'I call it, The Horror!' The Unhanged Woman laughed manically.

As soon as The Horror was out of it's cage entirely, it reared upwards and it let out a blood curdling scream. Effie fell to her knee, clutching her elven ears in pain.

'Oh wank.' Nabila whispered to herself.

The Orc Beastmaster cracked the reigns to give the command to attack, however The Horror immediately rolled over crushing the Orc into a maroon paste.

The Horror attacked the nearest thing to it which was two of The Unhanged Woman's troops, it grabbed one by the torso and violently shook them from side to side before The Horror bit down, sending the troops limbs in four different directions.

'I can always find more.' The Unhanged Woman thought aloud.

Effie came out from her cover in the alcove, confident in The Horror's distraction. 'Your dead you imposter cunt!' Effie yelled, running toward the scaffold.

'You'll find it difficult to kill one which is already dead.' She mocked as she ran into the tower.

'She's mine, can you handle that thing?' She nodded to the white reptile currently distracted by making a fine paste out of a half-orc troop on the opposite side of the courtyard.

'We can do our best.' Nabila tried to convince herself more than anyone else.

'Good.' Lens ran up the wooden stairs. Near the top, she shoulder barged a troop off the structure the the stone floor below, before she disappeared into the tower in pursuit.

An arrow whiffed past Nabila's head, she quickly spun, took aim at the offender, a fellow human, and fired. The Blunderbuss' blast caught the attention of The Horror. It turned to them, dropped what was left of a elven troop to the floor and charged

Nabila tossed a small pouch of gun powder in The Horror's direction and hit it with the Blunderbuss. The explosion only managed to slow down the giant lizard by way of a slight stumble, now with a new scorch mark on it's back, The Horror was running right at them again.

'Leg it.' Hamish grabbed her and they both broke in to a sprint, they spotted a few smaller alcoves with walls built up under them. Hamish and Nabila jumped through and backed up to wall, The Horror attempted the same but could only fit about a third of it's face through the gap.

Hamish pointed and let off a volley of bubbled acid into it's face, it screamed again. Frantic, it clambered backwards into the courtyard and attacked a nearby tiefling troop. Nabila could hear the rattling of armor coming down from a staircase just next to them, he made eye contact with Hamish and they took cover against the back wall.

A gnome appeared from behind the pillar. Brandishing a scimitar, his armor was a couple of sizes too big for him, it looked as though it was designed for a dwarf. Nabila gestured with her hands and mouthed, 'All yours.' Hamish blinked behind his and punched him in the back of the head, with the help of the ring of ram, the gnome was tossed with a squeal face first on to the stone floor, jolting his back. Before could recover The Horror had attacked. In one smooth curved motion, it grabbed the gnomes legs and bit down.

The gnome flew and slammed into a pillar on the second floor before bouncing back to the stone ground floor where The Horror finished him off. Hamish didn't intend for that to be so undignified, but shrugged it off. He moved forward taking cover behind a pillar, Nabila moved up to join him.

'We need to penetrate that thing's scales.' Hamish told her. 'How close can you get with that thing?' nodding to her Blunderbuss.

'I like my limbs where they are so about ten yards.' Nabila answered. 'What you thinking love?'

'Get as close as you can on it's belly, unload between the scales and I'll follow up. You got it?'

'Got it.' She moved from the pillar to a short wall as Hamish kicked over a barrel of water and ran up a flight of stairs, she raised an eye brow but shrugged it off.

As The Horror made another frantic pass, spooked by the increasing fire from the staircases.

Nabila leaped forward and thrust a her side dagger into the scaled belly. She held on for dear life as The Horror crawled up the courtyard wall, dipping it's tummy low to try pick off Nabila against the wall. The space was tight and Nabila couldn't get her Blunderbuss into a firing position between scales.

The Horror crawled back down to the floor and jumped directly up. Nabila took her shot and another for good measure however The Horror wasn't putting it's legs down, it was landing belly first. Nabila's long Blunderbuss broke like a twig under the great weight.

As she felt the pressure begin to mount being sandwiched between scale and stone floor she became engulfed in water and was thrust into the air at such velocity, The Horror was flipped over to it's back.

From where she landed on the roof, she saw Hamish jumping from the third floor of the courtyard, careening to the Horror's stomach spear in hand. The spear went through the weakened spot in the stomach like a hot knife through butter.

Hamish twisted his elbow, careening elemental lightning magic into The Horror's belly through the spear.

It convulsed violently throwing Hamish off balance and to the ground. He landed hard on his back, whip lashing his neck into the stone floor. Despite being knocked loopy, he pointed his finger at the spear and unleashed a stream of lightning that cooked The Horror from the insides. It would never move again.

Hamish lowered his arm, glassy eyed, he continued to lay on the wet stone floor. Looking at the clear blue sky, he saw the blurry outline of Nabila poke her head out over the edge of the roof. 'Can you help me down love?'

From the floor, he lifted his arm. A small disk of ice formed at the edge of the roof, which gently lowered her to the ground.

'I thought I was going to die again' Nabila held her arm out to Hamish, he took it and the Captain pulled up the skinny wizard with ease.

'I can't believe it worked.' Hamish admitted.

'How could it not have, it was mental.' She looked deep into his eyes and giggled 'I had a feeling you'd be full of surprises.' she had a bashful look on her face and without thinking they closed the gap between them.

Immediately an explosive squelching noise erupted next to them.

Hamish opened his eyes, meeting Nabila's own. Her eyebrow was cocked, moth agape.

The side of her face was plastered with blood. Looking further, the entire side of her body was plastered red with bits of gore.

'Oh, that's grim.' Nabila said nodding ground next to them. The remnants of a beat up corpse laid in the middle of a large and growing splat of blood.

'Can you make sure she's dead!' They looked up to see Effie leaning over the baloney at the top of the tower. A couple of hairs out of place but overall looking perfectly alive. 'Sorry about the mess!'

Hamish kicked corpse and looked up. 'She's dead!' Effie nodded and disappeared from view.

Nabila looked to Hamish and leaned closer. 'Shall we continue?'

'I think we should clean up first.'

She pouted, 'You're no fun.'


	9. Chapter 9

They collected a very merry Yuko, before rowing back to the The Gimel, once Yuko had been treated, the anchor was hauled and Black Isle was left behind.

Hamish leaned over the wooden railing at the side of the main deck, he held out his hand shaped the water below into a graceful ribbon that waved independently of the ocean.

Looking out to sea, from this far he couldn't see any of the continent of Nall but it would be there soon, back on familiar ground. Effie appeared next to him. 'How did you enjoy being A Contractor?' She asked. Joining him in looking out at the seemingly endless ocean.

'It was fun.' Hamish admitted.

'Want me to put in a good word for you?' She asked.

He through for a second and shrugged 'Contracting is mostly a solo act.' He shook his head. 'I don't think that's for me.'

'Let me know if you changed your mind.' Effie turned and heading into the guest quarters for some much needed rest.

* * *

A couple of hours after the night rolled in, Mat collared Hamish on the main deck.

'H-H-Hamish, the Captain has r-requested your p-presence in h-her quarters.' the nervous Gnome said, before returning to his post at the helm. 'Thanks Mat.' He made his way there.

The door was a jar, he peered though and announced his presence, 'Hello?'

The room was a good size, lived in and homely, a large desk stood in the middle. Filled with books, maps and various navigation instruments. There was a sofa and books piled against the walls. Towards the back, a four poster bed with the curtain drawn.

'I'm here love.' she called emerging through the purple curtains. She wore a white silk corset with a lace trim. 'I was thinking that after today you could do with a proper rest.'

Hamish looked into her eyes, her warm, piercing green eyes commanded that he go to her.

She pulled his robe off. He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply.

She twisted her body, pulling him on to the bed. She giggled as she moved and straddled his skinny frame.

There was nothing stopping her now.

* * *

The sounds of Ovlai hit them before they had fully docked, Liz jumped onto the pier with a thud. She taxied the ship into it's proper docked position before tying it in place at multiple points. Mat levitated the loading ramp into position.

Captain Nabila rung her pedal bell to get the crews attention to the helm.

'Hello lovelies, so we have erm-' She looked around and spotted Mat holding up three fingers from the deck. 'three days shore leave before we need to set off to The Dragon Isles, so relax, don't drink yourself into oblivion and just want to say thank you to our passengers.' She put her hand over her mouth and whispered at her normal volume 'And their employers deep pockets.'

The siblings and the crew laughed.

'but seriously, because of you're employers The Gimel Sailing Company will be running for at least another eight months, so there's that.' She clapped her hands, 'That's it, you're revealed from duty, see you in a few days.' The crew gave her a clap before alighting.

She came down the stairs to see of the siblings, Thanks you both so much 'Defiantly one of the nicer transports I've dealt with.' Effie said, 'I'll put in a good word for you with the company.'

'That would be amazing.' Nabila said excitedly.

'Hamish, I'll be at the start of the pier.' Effie told him as she descended the ramp.

Nabila closed the gap between her and Hamish, they kissed, arms around each other. Their lips parted but their foreheads were still touching, both smiling like idiots. 'Shame it was such a short journey.' she said.

'We'll make up for it next time your in Morgrush' Hamish asked. 'You remember where to go?'

'Protector's Rest.' She replied. 'C'mere.' She beckoned him, he came in with a quick peck on lips, before leaving the ship and heading over to his sister.

'She could be your wife.' Effie teased.

'Can't, she's already married.'

Effie's face dropped. 'What?'

'To the sea.'

Effie rolled her eyes, 'That was shit.'

'Sounded way better in my head' Hamish admitted.

* * *

They made their way back through town to the stables. The horses were well rested, the ear muffs must have been effective.

They rode out to the North, the Olorian countryside faded into the heavy woodlands of Alberton. The worn path through the woods eventually split in two, to the right Morgrush, Hamish's destination.

They slowed down and dismounted. They sat at the base of a nearby tree and shared a drink before parting ways.

'If you ever want to have like a fun little job, just send a letter.' Hamish offered. 'We run the guild, we get to keep the fun ones.'

'I'll keep that in mind'

'Oh almost forgot here.' Hamish passed her a leather pouch, she unbundled it and in her hand was a smooth black rock.

'This is a rock?' She asked.

'It's something Aramil cooked up, called a communication rock. Hold it with both hands, think of me and it'll open a telepathic line of communication to me.' He pointed, ' If I'm free that is and you need someone to talk to.'

Effie placed a hand on his shoulder, 'Thank you.'

'Love you sis.'

'Love you too Hamish.'

They finished their drink and got to their feet. Hamish saddled up, wincing in pain as he sat down. This did not slip past Effie.

'You need a healing potion?' She offered, also saddling up. 'You've had a face on since we started riding.'

'I must have pulled something in that fight.' He rubbed the top of his leg. 'Have a proper bad ache. I'll get Aramil to have a look at it.'

'That's a good idea.' She stroked the mane of her horse, getting it into position and let out a small laugh. 'Hopefully you didn't catch anything from The Captain.'

'You think I'm that stupid? He asked knowing the answer. He chuckled 'You remember when the mayor put that sex education notice on the community board?'

'Don't be a chump and wrap up your junk.' She recited with a smile. 'How the hell could I forget that, what a scandal.'

'The hell was he thinking?' The siblings laughed for a while before falling into a comfortable silence. They made eye contact and nodded.

'Be sure to visit mother more.' Effie called to him as they both trotted down their respective roads.

'I will.' Hamish replied as they both pick up speed and went their separate ways once again.


	10. Epilogue

'Been a while since I've seen these.' Aramil took of his gloves and got to his feet. The elf made his way across the examination room to one his medical kits and began clattering through various flowers and herbs.

'What the hell is it?' Hamish pulled his pants back up and tied them secure.

'Congratulations.' Aramil smiled at him. 'You have crabs.' He resumed rummaging through his stores.

Hamish sighed. '...shite.'


End file.
